Updated: Alt weeklies on America’s worst pols

Earlier this morning, I posted here (under the headline “Astorino finds opponents in Western Montana”) about Rob Astorino and Donald Trump making a Western Montana’s alternative weekly newspaper’s list of America’s Worst Politicians.

Well, as eagle-eyed Nick Reisman over at Time Warner Cable news points out, the same entries can be found in the Village Voice out of New York City. It would appear that the list is a compilation of entries from publications in various parts of the country.

Below is what we posted this morning about Trump and Astorino making the list. Below that are a few updates on who the Village Voice put on their list of the Seven Worst Elected Officials in the Tri-State Region, which was published Tuesday.

From this morning:

Given the positive public sentiment toward Donald Trump running for governor before (and briefly after) Rob Astorino declared he would run on the Republican ticket, Astorino appearing alongside “The Donald” on a list of politicians might be good news, right?

Well, maybe not.

The Missoula Independent — Western Montana’s Weekly Journal of People, Politics and Culture — placed the Westchester County executive and the Manhattan business mogul on its list of America’s Worst Politicians in the Blowhards category. The two share the distinction with the likes of Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachman and Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel.

From the Independent on Astorino:

Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino seized the moment following this past May’s rampage in Santa Barbara, Calif., that left seven people dead. He aimed to bolster his conservative cred while appealing to the moderate New York voters he’ll need to unseat Gov. Andrew Cuomo in November’s election. Astorino blamed the tragedy on inadequate resources for mental health treatment and argued that tighter restrictions on gun ownership would not have saved lives. “Government failed,” the GOP gubernatorial candidate said gravely. “Here you had a person who is mentally unstable. Clearly this young boy had problems, and yet the system failed him.”

Though Astorino made a valid point, the glaring problem with his grandstanding, as the New York Daily News later revealed, is that he had just spent four years slashing the mental health budget in Westchester County. Mental health funding fell from just under $18 million to $8.4 million on Astorino’s watch. Staffing at the relevant county agencies dropped from 152 to 74.

Hypocrisy doesn’t necessarily equate to stupidity, but Astorino has made a campaign pledge that covers both bases on this issue. He has vowed to repeal New York’s SAFE Act, which was approved after the Sandy Hook massacre. It includes a provision that requires mental health professionals to evaluate people who have made threats to harm themselves or others and, if necessary, refer them to authorities who can confiscate weapons before a killing spree. (Keegan Hamilton)

Luckily for Astorino, he wasn’t called a troll, unlike Trump:

Though the Donald isn’t technically a politician (he has never held office), he routinely threatens to run for president and perpetually inserts himself into the national political debate. From stoking conspiracy theories by offering a $5 million bounty for President Obama’s birth certificate to calling the 2012 election “a sham and a travesty,” Trump is the ultimate political troll.

The reality TV star and real estate magnate recently toyed with the idea of running as the GOP candidate for governor of New York before removing himself from the race. And he has donated millions to candidates from both parties over the years. While his political ambitions may be as absurd as his comb-over, Trump is a master at exploiting the media to generate semiserious discussion of fringy ideas that would normally be dismissed out of hand.

At various times, Trump has suggested repealing campaign contribution limits, imposing a 25 percent tariff on all Chinese goods and building a “triple-layered fence” and flying Predator drones along the Mexican border.

Trump’s sideshow routine has become tiresome for some reporters (BuzzFeed’s McKay Coppins compared the experience of covering the Donald’s short-lived 2014 gubernatorial campaign to “donning a network-branded parka during a snowstorm and shouting into the camera about a predictable phenomenon”), but many major news outlets still find the act irresistible for the ratings and page views. And that begs the question: Who’s dumber, Donald Trump or the journalists who keep feeding the troll? (Keegan Hamilton)

For the record, no other former, current or potential New York pols made it on the America’s Worst Politicians list in any category.

According to the Independent’s 2013 media kit, the circulation size of the free weekly is 19,000.

Rep. Michael Grimm, infamous for his legal troubles and the threat he made to a reporter trying to ask him about his legal troubles, state Sen. Malcolm Smith, who has legal troubles of his own, and Rep. Tim Bishop made the Voice’s list.

At first glance, U.S. Rep. Michael Grimm of Staten Island looks like classic blowhard material: he made headlines earlier this year for threatening NY1 reporter Michael Scotto. Specifically, he told Scotto he’d throw him off of the “fucking balcony” on which they stood after the State of the Union address in D.C., and, as a follow-up, promised to “break you in half. Like a boy.” Grimm was bright enough to make these clear and audible threats right in front of an NY1 camera. The next day he apologized to Scotto — kind of — saying, “I’m a human being, and sometimes your emotions get the better of you.”

But the reason why Grimm got so “emotional” is what pushes him squarely into sleazeball territory: the Congressman blew up when Scotto had the gall to ask about allegations that Grimm committed campaign finance fraud during his 2010 campaign. The Department of Justice and the FBI have been investigating Grimm’s fundraising activities since August of 2012. The same month Grimm threatened to put Scotto on the wrong side of the balcony, his ex-girlfriend was arrested by the FBI; she’s accused of using straw donors to donate well over the legal limit of $10,000 to Grimm’s campaign.
Grimm hasn’t yet been charged with campaign finance fraud. But he’s facing 257 years (that’s not a typo) in prison for tax evasion, perjury and fraud. That’s because Grimm, a former FBI agent, left the agency in 2006 and, prior to becoming a shady politician, allegedly became a shady business owner: the tax evasion charges are related to an Upper East Side restaurant he owned, with the unfortunate name of Healthalicious. According to its reviews, it’s not even a very good restaurant.

Alleged fraud, perjury and two-bit bullying: all the hallmarks of a real sleazebag.— Anna Merlan

The Voice on Smith, who joined Grimm in the sleazeball category:

Malcolm Smith was once a man of big political victories. After winning a seat in the New York State Senate, he rose to become the Democrats’ minority leader, then majority leader, the first African American to hold that title. He pushed through impressive initiatives addressing toxic waste and health care in his Queens district, and he created a task force that introduced reforms following the NYPD’s shooting of Sean Bell.

These days, though, Smith’s political victories are of a smaller scale. They primarily involve avoiding prison time. Smith was arrested in 2013 and charged with bribery. Prosecutors allege that he paid Republican officials tens of thousands of dollars to back his run for mayor on the GOP ticket. The trial, which began in June, did not look good. Hours of recorded conversations, taped by an undercover FBI agent posing as a developer in 2012, captured Smith explaining his game plan: he would run for mayor as a Republican, in order to bypass the crowded Democratic primary; if that didn’t work, he would regain his title as Democratic leader of the Senate. “Sometimes it takes cash, sometimes it takes checks, sometimes it takes a job,” the undercover agent told him in one exchange. “Right, right, right,” Smith replied. The jury heard hours and hours of this kind of talk.

So it wasn’t looking good for Smith, who claimed that he was entrapped. His term in office would end at the end of the year and the trial seemed to eliminate any chance for a reelection campaign this summer. But then Smith caught a break. Prosecutors were slow to turn over 70 hours worth of tapes. More than 20 hours of those conversations were in Yiddish and it would take weeks to translate them. The judge ruled a mistrial and scheduled Smith’s new trial for January. The legal troubles have stalled just in time for campaign season. He can safely proclaim his innocence through election day. Lucky him — re-election would make him eligible for this list next year, as well.— Albert Samaha

And the Voice on Bishop, who rounds out New York’s sleazeball category delegation:

Tim Bishop’s trademark scandal is classic New York. It’s got a hedge-fund manager, a bar mitzvah, political favors and improper campaign solicitations — it even has a scenic Southhampton setting. The whole thing started when Eric Semler, president of TCS Capital Management, decided to celebrate his son’s official entrée into manhood with a massive fireworks display. Problems arose when the company Semler hired to arrange the show failed to secure the necessary permits in time.

Luckily, Rep. Bishop was just a phone call away, ready to swoop in and save the day — provided Mr. Semler and his wife both donated to the his campaign fund. After tapping a local official for the approvals, Bishop emailed a mutual friend bragging, “call me the friggin’ mailman — we are all set with Eric Semler.” Five minutes later, the friend, who also happened to be the finance chair for Bishop’s campaign emailed Semler, saying “so I guess you and your wife really want to donate $5K each to Tim Bishop, right?”

Semler said he did, and good thing too, because Bishop’s work wasn’t done. He would intervene on Semler’s behalf again, this time to make sure that the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service would sign off the pyrotechnic extravaganza scheduled to take place at Semler’s home, which happens to be adjacent to nesting grounds for the endangered Piping Plover.

(Semler later complained to Fireworks By Grucci, the distributor that supplied the fireworks, about the expense he incurred as a result of their mistake — perhaps unaware the company’s executive vice president and chief financial officer is Republican Felix Grucci, the house member whom Bishop unseated in 2002.)

According to Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), Bishop may have broken a slew of laws including accepting illegal gratuities; soliciting a campaign contributions linked to an official action; seeking or accepting compensation for providing representational services; receiving compensation for exerting improper influence; performing an official action for personal gain; dispensing special favors; and making false statements . He also may have violated at least two campaign finance laws, not to mention the House rule requiring all members to conduct themselves “at all times in a manner that reflects creditably on the House,” according to CREW. At last check, investigations by the Office of Congressional Ethics U.S. Attorney’s Office, and the FBI were ongoing.— Tessa Stuart

Matthew Hamilton

12 Responses

“For the record, no other former, current or potential New York pols made it on the America’s Worst Politicians list in any category.”
.
Given our track record of indicted and convicted politicians in this state, that fact makes their assesments suspect. If you’re not going to put people sent to prison for corruption on your list of worst politicians, what’s the point?

“New York’s SAFE Act, which was approved after the Sandy Hook massacre. It includes a provision that requires mental health professionals to evaluate people who have made threats to harm themselves or others and, if necessary, refer them to authorities who can confiscate weapons before a killing spree.”

This statement is 1) not accurate. 2) misleading.

Remember – Montana is the state that started manufacturing state-stamped automatic machine guns. Because the machine guns were “by Montana for Montana” they declared it wasn’t subjected to federal law because it doesn’t fall under interstate commerce and due to the 10th amendment – claiming it is beyond federal law and ATF regulation and action.

Good point, NY in the rearview. And even if some of them were Republicans – they were Cuomo’s lap dogs… now being thrown under Cuomo’s bus.
Why don’t you talk about the corruption involved in the Cuomo administration or the Libous situation w/ his wife getting favors after the SAFE Act passed.

This is nothing but a shameless ruse meant to distract from Gov. Cuomo being the WORST Governor in New York State’s History. 8,705 people each and every month leave Cuomo’s Nanny State. With the like of him & the Mayor Bloomberg types, NY is losing BIG time. Cuomo is so out of touch he thinks it is a smart idea to give free college to rapists, pedophiles, murderers and other FELONS while the average Joe pays the highest taxes in the nation. NY is consistently rated as the least free state in the nation. Getting back to felons, Cuomo happily accepts Felon Fundraising efforts from multiple convicted felons such as Nick Spano & Paul Adler. Rob Astorino is an awesome choice to turn NY State around and get us back in the Winning column again. Cuomo’s Gotta GO! While I am had it, do a quick Twitter search for #PayYourTaxesAndrew – find out how Andy is taking advantage of the good, honest working men & women of New York State. Let’s be honest… Cuomo cannot be trusted. No transparency & total hypocrisy… Do not support this narcissist unless you’re addicted to losing. Then he’s your man. 124 days to go! See you at the voting booths!

Ha! A “hit piece” Sherman unwisely calls this. Maybe he should have read the article and become a bit informed.

It’s nice to see the knee-jerk radical right respond without knowing anything besides something critical mentioned in Montana newspaper of their great white hope to take over New York by disposing the evil tyrant Democrat Governor come election time.

By informing us of this some see your doing so as liberal bias. Besides, the wretched characters mentioned in the Independent should be known far and wide. And I for one, thank you.

Rearview, (hope you don’t mind my contraction, it seems fitting), had you read the article you wold have read:

“Whether or not you agree with the peanut gallery, there’s no denying that such written assaults on public honchos are as American as baseball, apple pie and the iPhone.

So on this Independence Day, those closest to American politics—50 writers and editors of the alternative press from across the land—have combined their collective genius. They’ve named the nation’s worst elected leaders, then separated them into five categories: hatemongers, sleazeballs, blowhards, users and boozers, and horn dogs.”